The Green Building Products Initiative will help encourage interaction among regional businesses and organizations involved in the development and manufacture of green building products, according to Rebecca Flora, executive director of GBA.
"Pittsburgh has the first green-certified historic building, convention center, warehouse, banking facility and university residence hall, which has positioned Western Pennsylvania as a worldwide center for green building," Flora says. "Many of these developments are the result of the strong partnerships the GBA has developed with local architects, building owners, universities and legislators, which has allowed GBA to become a model agency for green building advocacy nationwide."
By establishing the Green Building Products Initiative, GBA hopes to:
- Position Western Pennsylvania as the national center for green building innovation, production and utilization
- Support and grow the green building products industry in Western Pennsylvania with direct assistance as well as applied research grants
- Create a competitive advantage for green building product manufacturers in Western Pennsylvania, as well as companies that want to relocate there
- Encourage innovation, integration and collaboration between building product manufacturers and building professionals to improve building performance throughout the world
The Green Building Products Initiative hopes to encompass networking opportunities and other industry events and services to foster business development, according to GBA. In addition, a new Web site will provide designated areas to foster collaboration among industry members, investors, researchers, academics and potential customers.
"We expect this to be a very dynamic organization," says Flora. "There's so much going on in the green building industry, it's hard to predict what shape this initiative will eventually take.”
Funding for the new initiative comes from a $1 million state grant from the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority and a $250,000 grant from The Heinz Endowments. The $1 million grant is being provided through the Pennsylvania Green Growth Partnership, a statewide partnership designed to help building products companies develop environmentally friendly products through research and development, design assistance and community outreach.
The Green Building Alliance is a Pittsburgh-based non-profit organization that facilitates the development of green buildings in Western Pennsylvania.
For more information visit the Green Building Products Initiative Web site.
